Supporters, Detractors Meet on Proposed NatGas Power Plant in PA

April 4, 2013

If the crowd that turned out last night for a public hearing on a proposed new natural gas-powered electrical generating plant in Lawrence County, PA is any indicator, the community is split about evenly between those who support the new plant, and those who don’t. Area residents filled the North Beaver Volunteer Fire Department to listen to and express their opinions about the new plant before representatives of the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection.

The bottom line is that the plant, according to LS Power (which is building it), is desperately needed. Some 3,000 megawatts of generating capacity will disappear from the region in the next several years as plants using coal to generate electricity retire. The Lawrence County plant will generate 900 MW—less than one-third of what will be needed to replace it. That is, it’s desperately needed unless residents who oppose the plant want to volunteer to participate in rolling blackouts…